


All Hallows' Eve

by ExoAir



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27450358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExoAir/pseuds/ExoAir
Summary: It's Halloween and a certain Legend decides to spend some time with you much to your surprise. Everyone knows how cruel and psychopathic he can be in the arena, but you're the only one that knows of his kinder side. Besides, you're the only one he's willing to put up with.
Relationships: Caustic | Alexander Nox/Reader, Caustic | Alexander Nox/You
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	All Hallows' Eve

After a demanding day and once the sun had begun to set, you finally arrived upon the doorstep of your quaint condo. It was a rather extravagant place to live—significantly out of your budget range—but the living conditions were far more favorable than your old apartment. That’s what happens when you happen to find yourself semi-romantically involved with an Apex Legend. As tempting as it was to broadcast your relationship to the entirety of the Outlands, you preferred a simple and quiet relationship. Dating a celebrity without the world knowing would be a difficult task, but being involved with a reserved and ill-tempered partner made it more than easy enough to keep things private.

You took off your shoes and made your way into the kitchen to get yourself a glass of water; you were on your feet all day and never felt the need to drink anything until now. Now that your thirst was quenched, you made your way to your room. As you turned the corner, you bumped into what felt like a wall. Immediately, you clutched your chest as you let out a short yelp.

A tall and intimidating figure, dressed in a tan trench coat, red bowler hat, and a disturbing clown mask stood in front of you as you stumbled back, completely startled. You gave the intruder a quick glance before noticing a distinct pair of green eyes glaring at you. You held your hand to your chest and took a deep breath.

“Alex! Don’t scare me like that!”

A soft, almost inaudible chuckle came from behind his mask.

“Forgive me. I had no intention of frightening you.”

Once your heart rate quickly returned to normal, you glanced at your watch and replied, “I didn’t think you’d be home already. The games don’t end this early.”

You kept up to date with the Apex games, but you knew the games didn’t suddenly end this early without a good reason. You weren’t an avid fan, but you understood the rules and enjoyed watching the sport from time to time—mainly to keep an eye on one Legend in particular. 

Alexander crossed his arms and replied, “The games were put on a short hiatus. I suspect the games will be moving to a new location this season. As I recall, something was mentioned about spending time with friends and family for the festivities before the games resumed again.”

“Oh, I bet that’ll be a nice change of scenery. I’m sure you’re getting tired of the red skies.” You asked as you brushed past him to the bedroom.

Alexander sighed, “I can’t deny I have grown quite weary of it.”

You took off your watch and began to undress into something more comfortable. Alexander leaned on the wall adjacent to the door, out of the line of sight to let you change at your own leisure.

“It’s Halloween today. Did you want to go out tonight and do something? Maybe some light trick-or-treating or pumpkin carving?

“I can’t say I enjoy partaking in the disembowelment of pumpkins or the consumption of sweets.” Alexander commented as he casually took off his mask and hat.

To say that Alexander Nox was a blunt man was a massive understatement. If you had to be honest, his assertiveness and direct personality were some of the qualities that made you attracted to the noxious trapper; in actuality, you wished you knew more people like him.

You quickly slipped on a t-shirt then made your way outside your room. You approached your partner and noticed he had removed his mask and hat, something you didn’t quite get the privilege of seeing often, at least not as much as you’d like. Most of the time, you saw his counterpart, ‘Caustic’, but Alexander was the one who stood in front of you at this current moment—out in the open, not hidden behind a persona, a mask.

One of the corners of your lip curled into a smile as you tenderly placed a hand on his cheek.

“You shaved…”

You felt Alexander hesitate before slowly raising one of his hands to place on yours. The moment lasted only for a moment before you separated from him. It was easier for you to display affection, but you understood why he put his walls. Regardless, it was a gift whenever he displayed endearment. One day you hoped that he would be more comfortable and willing to be more open and share more with you. 

Alexander cleared his throat and replied, “It’s a small change in the ensemble, though I prefer to have one now that the weather is getting colder.”

“You definitely look a lot more handsome with a beard.” You remarked as you cast a quick glance at him. 

For a split-second, you could feel a slight glare on you to which you quickly added, “Not to say that you’re not already handsome. It’s been proven that having facial hair will increase your chances of finding someone to, uh, ya’know...”

Alexander raised a brow in a simultaneous fashion of confusion and amusement.

“Which isn’t to say that you don’t have a hard time with that, I’m just saying—”

“Duly noted.” The Legend spoke softly, as his lips curved into a faint smile. 

You patted him awkwardly on the shoulder as you walked past him. Making your way into the kitchen, you began rummaging through the pantry for some ideas on what to make for dinner. You had a decent amount of experience in the kitchen, not a master chef by any means, but enough to get by and make a decent meal. 

“Would you prefer if I prepared dinner tonight?” Alexander vocalized as he joined you in the kitchen.

“Uh, sure, I don’t mind. What are you planning on making?”

Alexander took off his trenchcoat and rolled up his sleeves. At once, he rummaged through the pantry and fridge to gather ingredients, then went to the cupboards and pulled out a cutting board, a pot, and a skillet.

Alexander’s eyes glanced in your direction as he expertly cut up an onion. “If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it?” he teased gently.

“Ooh, all right, then, Dr. Caustic. I see how it is.” You replied as you left the kitchen to let the doctor focus on his task at hand. You returned to your bedroom and sat on your side of the large bed, then pulled out a book from out of the drawer of the nightstand. You inspected the cover of the book before opening it to the page you left a bookmark in. You found yourself quickly immersed in the world of your novel as you effortlessly flipped through the pages.

Within the hour, you put the book away and ended up scrolling away at your phone. Like a deadly assassin, a delicious aroma crept into your room which your stomach gave a slight rumble in response. You swung your legs out of bed and swiftly followed the smell to the kitchen.

Alexander held a skillet in one of his hands as he placed the contents onto one of two plates. Accompanying the two main plates, a few side dishes were placed accordingly on the table along with a bottle of red wine. You sat down in your chair and waited patiently for Alexander to join you. Your eyes wandered the table like a hummingbird. 

“Wow, you really want all out.” You observed, completely astonished.

Alexander sat in the chair next to you and scooted closer to the table. “Indeed. I concluded it would be best if we enjoyed a proper meal together.”

You smiled brightly at him before taking your first bite. “Alex, this is literally the best thing I have ever tasted. How did you learn to make this?”

“My mother. She taught me many years ago.”

Mentioning anything about Alexander’s past was a touchy subject. Although it greatly piqued your curiosity, you preferred not to discuss it unless he talked about it willingly out of respect. There was a heavy and hesitant feeling in your chest as you glanced over at his left hand, where two metal fingers resided. Alexander felt your uneasiness as the conversation shifted; he was fully aware of your stance on discussing anything related to his life before he faked his own death.

There was a mutual understanding between you two as your eyes’ met each other's' gaze. As if it never happened, the conversation was set aside for another topic to take its place. The two of you continued into making small talk about the other Legends and the games. You did most of the talking while Alexander listened.

* * *

You and Alexander finished dinner within the hour. Compliments were given to the chef in full as you got up and started clearing the table. Seeing as Alexander cooked, you thought it was only fair that you do the dishes. While your partner sipped on his wine, you quickly put up the leftovers in the fridge and put the remaining dishes into the dishwasher.

“It’s still pretty early. What do you want to do next?” You asked as you wiped your hands dry with a towel.

Pouring himself another glass of wine, Alexander replied, “For the sake of tradition, I propose it’s only appropriate we indulge ourselves in a horror movie.”

“All right, I’m game. Are we feeling something like, ‘Splintered Secret’, or ‘Red Bride’? I heard they’re really great movies. Suspenseful and scary.” You asked as you went into the pantry and grabbed a bag of popcorn.

“Have you ever heard of ‘The Exorcist’?”

“Kinda? It’s a really old film from a long time ago, right? I heard that it’s a pretty scary movie and lots of superstitious things happened to the cast.” You replied as you waited for the popcorn to finish popping in the microwave.

While Alexander searched for ‘The Exorcist’, you grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured the steaming popcorn into it. You walked into the living room with the bowl in hand and sat next to Alexander.

You grabbed a small handful of popcorn and started munching away at it. You offered some to the older gentleman, but he politely refused. He continued to sip at his wine, to which you curiously teased, “Are you feeling buzzed yet?”

Alexander glanced at you with a feigned offended look. “Quite the opposite. A mere two glasses will do no such thing I’m afraid."

Slightly disappointed, you replied, “And here I thought I would finally be able to see you drunk.”

That comment prompted Alexander to give out a hearty chuckle. “As sober as I am, however, I can’t deny that I _am_ in higher spirits.”

Your eyebrow rose in amusement.

“Why’s that?” You asked with genuine curiosity.

“You’re an intelligent individual. I pray that you can conclude the answer on your own without me telling you.” Alexander stated candidly.

Your eyes locked with the doctor’s as you smiled at him with great intensity. Making a list in your head, you determined it could be a number of things, but couldn’t decide what it could truly be. Thinking long and hard, you realized that Alexander was different ever since he came home.

“You wouldn’t miss a day’s work in the lab unless it wasn’t a good reason and considering that it’s Halloween means that it has to be a _really_ good reason.”

“Full marks.” Alexander confirmed as he sipped from his glass once more. There was a smile on his face as he turned away and started the movie with a press of a button.

You knew well that Alexander wasn’t going to bluntly say that he came home to spend time with you, but the message was certainly received. His bluntness with others was obvious, but with you, he was a tactful person—always letting you think for yourself and appreciating your intelligence.

Warmth filled within you as you looked into the popcorn bowl. You happily ate at your popcorn as the movie transitioned into the beginning scene. Knowing what you already know about the movie, a great deal of confusion settled in your thoughts. Movies differed greatly back in the 20th century compared to the 28th century. Regardless of the time period, you only truly enjoyed watching scary movies with someone else; it made the experience all that much more enjoyable.

Alexander generally stayed quiet and still throughout the movie, often coughing every so often because of his condition. You, on the other hand, had a much more difficult time remaining still, often clutching at Alexander’s arm or averting your gaze away from the movie. Even though it was a nightmare-inducing film, it was entertaining nonetheless—even if there were certain parts of the movie where your head was buried in Alexander’s chest.

After the movie finished, you and Alexander took a brief intermission to use the bathroom or to get more refreshments. Discussions were made between the two of you about the plot and generally what you and he liked about the movie. It was captivating to hear Alexander’s opinions considering his strong background in the field of science.

“Do you want me to get you another glass?” You asked as you wiped your hands dry.

As Alexander washed his hands, he amiably replied, “I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you. I’m afraid I have work that requires my attention.”

You glanced at the clock, disappointed. It was only half-past ten, but you understood his reasons. Deep down, you wished that he spent the entirety of the evening with you, but you knew how important his research was. His work was not for the faint of heart, but you supported his endeavors regardless.

“Would you like me to make you some coffee then?”

Alexander considered the offer for a second then replied, “I would greatly appreciate it.”

Alexander left the kitchen to his study while you prepared his coffee. You hummed to yourself as you effortlessly measured, poured out the correct amount of water and coffee, then tapped the button on the machine. Almost immediately, the aroma of coffee began filling the kitchen. Within a few minutes, you poured out the steaming caffeinated beverage into the mug that you always saw him drink from. You promptly brought it into his study, putting it carefully onto the coaster on his desk. 

“Try not to stay up too late, okay?” You requested as you pecked him on the cheek.

“Of course.” he said with great appreciation.

As you left his study, you quickly went into the kitchen to grab yourself a handful of fun-sized candy bars and went to your room. You wanted to wait up for him, but you knew it would be several hours at least before he even considered heading to bed. For the next few hours, you passed the time by catching up on your favorite TV show and browsing social media. A slight feeling of drowsiness began to settle in as you yawned. Deciding it was finally time to get ready for bed, you got out of bed and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower and brush your teeth. Within the hour, you crawled into bed and eventually fell asleep.

* * *

You slowly opened your eyes and focused your sight on the clock on your nightstand. You turned your head to check if Alexander was there, but as you expected, the other side of the bed remained cold and untouched; it was strange to sleep without his presence in the bed with you. The warmth and physical contact was something that kept you sleeping until the morning. You rubbed your eyes and got out of bed to check on your boyfriend. As you approached his study, you observed that none of the lights were on, indicating it was empty. In the corner of your eye, you noticed a faint light coming from the dining room area. Alexander sat in one of the chairs, facing away from you. From what you could tell, it was almost as if he was sleeping. 

The wood floor creaked subtly as you made your way across the cold surface. You wrapped your arms around him and cradled your head in his neck. Alexander jumped at the sudden physical contact. He gave a deep, relaxed sigh as he reached up and tenderly brushed the side of your shoulder. The older Legend coughed softly then murmured, “Having trouble sleeping?”

“A little. Looks like you could use some sleep yourself.” You said as you nestled yourself closer.

There was a hint of reluctance from Alexander. He was stubborn, of course, but even he couldn’t deny that he was getting tired. With a quiet sigh, he went into the kitchen and cleaned his mug. As tired as you were, you offered him a soft smile as you held his hand and pulled him into the bedroom.

“Go on to bed, I’ll join you shortly,” he muttered as he gently held the side of your arm.

You did as you were told albeit reluctantly. While you crawled back into bed, Alexander stepped into the bathroom to commence his nightly routine. Your eyes grew heavy as you waited for your partner. Like the frames of a movie reel, one moment you heard water running, then the next you felt the bed move ever so slightly. A sense of ease washed over you as Alexander occupied the empty spot next to you. You curled up against him and put your head on his chest. His arm wrapped around you as he gently pulled you in closer.

Your arm wrapped around the older Legend’s belly as you teetered on the edge of sleep; his larger frame made it easy to be used as a body pillow. The crisp, cold temperature nipped at your nose and ears, but Alexander’s radiating warmth counteracted it with ease. Just before you slipped into a slumber, your partner pecked you on the head and muttered, “Sleep well little one.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I tried making Caustic into a bit of a domestic softie while retaining some of his rough edges. I wished there were more Caustic x Reader stories, so I decided to write one myself.


End file.
